A British man was arrested in Thailand after police found him in possession of six human fetuses, which had been roasted and covered in gold leaf for a black magic ritual. Apparently, there is a belief that rituals using such props help to improve one’s wealth.

These fetuses are referred to as Toyol (or Tuyul) and are child spirits invoked by a Malay Witch Doctor, from a dead human foetus.Toyol are usually kept in a jar and given offerings of food.They are said to be playful but can be easily manipulated to cause mischief.

The British man faces up to one year in prison and a 2,000-baht (£38.08) fine if he is found guilty ,even though the fetuses were bought for the equivalent of £4,000 and could have been sold for six times that amount in Taiwan. Wiwat Kumchumnan, of the Thai police’s children and women protection unit, said: “The bodies are of children between the ages of two and seven months.